Good things are often so close! True to this motto, Germany's beaches are more popular than ever. Fine, often white sand, sparkling clean water and a great infrastructure, whether on the North Sea or Baltic coast: here are ten dreamy beach regions that are among the most beautiful in Germany.
Table of contents
1st Borkum - endless bathing fun
2 Langeoog - High dunes and more
3rd Sankt Peter-Ording - Top for kiters and children
4th Amrum - Hiking on the mega sandbank
5th Sylt - The high in the north
6th Grömitz - vacation feeling at its best
7 Travemünde - Good by tradition
8 Warnemünde - One for all occasions
9 Sellin on Rügen - A highlight on the Baltic Sea
10th Usedom - bathing like in imperial times
At just under 31 square kilometers, Borkum is the largest of the East Frisian Islands. So it's hardly surprising that you'll find four fantastic beaches here - they all have fine sand and beautiful water. The longest, liveliest beach stretches to the north directly in front of the island's capital and is protected by an offshore sandbank, which is even home to seals. Right next door, young vacationers celebrate their parties. Things are much quieter on the nudist beach and on the south coast. The sandy strip in the far east is completely natural with no infrastructure or lifeguards - but you can still have a great swim there.
This destination lives up to its name "Long Island": the narrow island measures around 14 kilometers from west to east, most of which is a first-class beach. It lies white and fine in front of the deep blue North Sea, with dunes up to 20 meters high behind it - a magical island landscape. Plus the fresh and crystal-clear air, because private cars are prohibited. You can get from the harbor to the island's small capital by train. Sustainability is also a top priority on Langeoog in other respects, so you can explore the fascinating flora and fauna, including the shaggy Scottish Highland cattle, on nature trails. It is fitting that Langeoog values fair trade - the local stores offer many Fairtrade products.
The beach in front of the North Sea resort of Sankt Peter-Ording (SPO for short) stretches an impressive 12 kilometers along the blue water. In many places, it is so wide that you have to walk quite a while on wooden walkways to the edge of the sea. There are shallow areas for children to swim and zones for kite and surf fans and for beach sailors. There are 500 colorful beach chairs to relax in - or you can have something tasty served to you in one of the striking pile dwellings.
This beach is quite unique in the world and accordingly famous. The Kniepsand on the North Sea island of Amrum is not a beach in the usual sense, but a huge, extremely slow-moving sandbank that nestles against the west coast of the island. With a length of 15 kilometers and a width of up to 1.5 kilometers, the mega sandbank offers plenty of space. You can hire beach chairs at various access points. If you prefer to explore the surrounding area: At certain times, you can hike through the mudflats to the neighboring island of Föhr - but only with a knowledgeable guide!
On the north and west coasts, golden yellow beaches stretch as far as the horizon, on the east side the Wadden Sea: with around 40 first-class kilometers of beach, you are sure to find your favorite bathing spot with ease, all with fine soft sand and sparkling clean water. There are beaches to see and be seen, for nudists or for dogs. Alternatively, you can hike through the vast dune landscape - and later relax in one of the fine cafés or bistros. Sylt is also a dream destination for sports enthusiasts, with the famous Windsurf World Cup taking place off Westerland every year.
The Bay of Lübeck on the Baltic Sea is considered the number one recreational destination for the nearby metropolis of Hamburg and is particularly popular with families. One of the most beautiful vacation resorts here is the seaside resort of Grömitz: eight kilometers of beach, the sand is fine and soft, sections for children with an adjacent adventure playground, dog and nudist beach, which merges into a nature reserve. There is also a long promenade full of stores, restaurants, ice cream parlors and chilled beach bars. A marina and water sports school where you can learn to surf and hire SUP boards. And a long pier with a diving gondola at the end - up to 30 guests can admire the underwater world here without getting their feet wet.
Creative minds such as Thomas Mann and Wilhelm Raabe once sought inspiration in the fashionable seaside resort. Today, Lübeck's harbor and seaside resort of Travemünde is a vacation paradise with its long, wide main beach next to the spa district and an almost untouched strip of sand on the Priwall peninsula opposite. That makes a total of 4.5 kilometers of bathing fun! Once you've had enough of the water, take a stroll to the beach bars on the wide promenade or through the chic shopping area on the banks of the Trave. Once a year, the Travemünde Week, one of the largest sailing regattas in the world, takes place - and the atmosphere here is a festival for days!
The sand on the long beach at Warnemünde near Rostock is as white and soft as powdered sugar. Around four kilometers long and up to 200 meters wide, it is a real gem among Germany's bathing destinations. There is something for everyone here: families with small children, for example, will love the shallow entry into the water and the pirate beach with playgrounds and trampolines. Surfing enthusiasts will also find their spot, and there are good schools for beginners. At the western end, bathers can let their hair down, as it is usually pleasantly quiet there. Of course, the long beach promenade with its many restaurants is a hive of activity - and Warnemünde's fish stalls are among the best on the coast!
What a sight! The Sellin pier in the south-east of the island of Rügen is one of the most beautiful of its kind on our coasts. At the end of the main shopping street of the pretty seaside resort, 87 steps of a staircase called Himmelsleiter (those who are more comfortable take the elevator) lead down to the fine sandy beach and the 400-metre-long bridge. And it has real selfie quality with its enchanting restaurant in the best spa architecture, ferry dock and diving gondola and a great view over the beach. A high cliff divides the spotlessly clean beach into two sections - in the northern part, those seeking peace and quiet will find their beach chairs, while in the south there are great water sports facilities.
More is not possible: the longest sandy beach in Germany stretches along the east coast of the island of Usedom over a distance of 42 kilometers and is up to 70 meters wide. The sand is wonderfully fine and soft, the landscape is varied and the infrastructure is perfect. Want more records? No problem, the XL promenade is the longest in Germany at 12 kilometers from north to south, as is the Heringsdorf pier (508 meters), and the oldest bridge in Germany (built in 1882) juts out into the sea in Ahlbeck. Together with neighboring Bansin, these seaside resorts are known as the three "imperial spas" of Usedom - anyone who has ever admired the impressive spa architecture will understand the name!
Cover photo: You can relax here: Beach chairs on the beach in Travemünde © Igor Tichonow - stock.adobe.com
